A long standing problem in the area of knee braces has resided in the fact that the lower portion of the knee brace is generally excessively rigid relative to the upper portion, and the function of prior art knee braces does not approximate that of the human knee. The present invention seeks to respond to this problem by providing a leg brace in which the lower member (the portion below the knee) may, selectively, be provided with a controllable lower leg extension assist and arc of movement, relative to the upper member of the brace.
There does, to the knowledge of the Inventor, exist relevant prior art only in my own U.S. Pat. No. 4,502,472 (1985), entitled Hinge Mean for Orthopedic Brace and in presently available braces, that apply a constant extension force to the lower leg without, however, means to disengage the extension force upon the occurrence of flexion.